TODAY’S MANNA TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018TOPIC: BURNING THE BRIDGE BEHIND TEXT: RUTH 1:1-181)
THE KEY VERSE: “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16).2) THE TEXT:(RUTH 1: 1 – 18 KJV) “1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.1:3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?1:12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;1:13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.”3) THE MESSAGE:i) A school of thought holds that decision determines destiny. In other words, it lies within any one’s ability to change whatever negative circumstances are brought across one’s path no matter its source or origin. ii) Severe famine had forced Elimelech into the heathen nation of Moab. While there, Elimelech and his two sons died. Naomi was left alone with her two daughters in-law. As the period of famine eased in her home country, Naomi decided to go back. iii) When the two women volunteered to go with her, she tried hard to make them see the apparent futility of doing so. The tenor here is like, if I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight and should bear sons, would you tarry for them until they were grown? iv) One of them, Orpah, saw ‘reason’ and turned back to Moab “but Ruth clave unto her”. Ruth renounced false religion and worship when she said to her mother in-law, “Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God”. v) And she thus made further entreaties by Naomi unnecessary. “So they two went until they came to Bethlehem”. vi) Note that conversion to the true religion and the true God is a personal decision. It demands determination not to return to the rotten past.vii) To face what lies ahead, there must be a total disconnect with the past life of sin.viii) Have you ever come to a crossroads where decision must be made on which way to go? To leave the known for the unknown? Do you take the line of least resistance and turn back like Orpah or remain steadfastly minded like Ruth? ix) People who are scared about the unknown never get to reap God’s abundant blessings. Ruth walked against the treadmill, as it were, and became gloriously implanted into the Messiah’s lineage. x) You can also be divinely uplifted like Ruth, if you make God the major factor that influences your decision.4) THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Steadfast commitment separates history makers from charlatans.5) BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: PSALM 25; 29; 33; 36; 39
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